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Since Christopher Hitchens died, Bill Nye the Science Guy has stepped up to help fill his shoes as a leading pop-cultural advocate for rationalism and empirical scientific observation as the center of civilized society instead of religion. In August of 2012 a video called “Bill Nye: Creationism Is Not Appropriate For Children” exploded on YouTube and currently has almost 6 million views to date.

Needless to say, Ken Ham and his colleagues at Kentucky’s Creation Museum have been none too pleased about Nye’s attack on the idea of teaching creationism as a viable worldview in schools.

Ham, an Australian evangelical who’s certain the earth is 5,000 years old, has been trying to rejuvenate creationism for the youth with his Creation Museum and his YouTube activity and media prowess.

Ham made his own video in response to Nye’s, but it only has 162,000 views compared to Nye’s six million. Apparently figuring he could use Nye’s popularity as leverage, Ham and the Creation Museum invited Nye to debate the existence of evolution and the credibility of the creationist theory. Nye said he’d do it if the museum paid for his expense, and Ham announced Thursday that the debate is on.

“Having the opportunity to hold a cordial but spirited debate with such a well-known personality who is admired by so many young people will help bring the creation-evolution issue to the attention of many more people, including youngsters,” Ham said. “As a serious advocate for his beliefs, Nye’s opinions carry weight in society.”

It’s nice that Ham is sounding friendly, but technically this isn’t a debate between beliefs—it’s a debate between Ham’s beliefs and Nye’s measurable data. Nye doesn’t “believe in” evolution—he has deduced from facts and concrete evidence the condition of the natural world. There’s no external evidence to support the claim that the earth is 5,000 years old.

Anyway, the debate is set for February 4 at the Creation Museum. Tickets are $25 if you happen to be in Kentucky, otherwise knowing Nye and Ham it will probably be up online, melting YouTube shortly thereafter.